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Or, since they were at home, the question was to make a pot of coffee, not buy it. It's not unusual to offer guests coffee/tea/water, etc, and since it's family, making a request rather than being offered isn't completely out of line.
I recently remembered this possibly happening, but didn't give it much thought. I say it somewhat matters because it's good to get an idea of why someone says what they say. The psychology behind it all. This is a psychology forum. We're all interested in how the mind works. I guess was also wondering, not just my exact situation, but also when other people do it. Their intention behind why they ask such a question or something along those lines.
So, this is just a conversation starter. Okay. Personally, I don't think one can make any enlightening conjectures upon a theoretical because psychology isn't rooted in the act, but the person behind the act.
In your situation, the psychology would be dependent upon too many unknowns, like:
- when and where did it occur, because much of human behavior is dependent upon the situational context.
- who were the people (ages, familial and/or community relationship, cultures, religions, upbringing, economic relations, etc)
If the person asking was older, higher ranking, wealthier, and well educated, the motives could well be much different than in other circumstances.
It would be a meaningless conversation to identify any useful information to answer your question.
That said, just to pass the time of day in idle conversation, I would make an assumption in your example that the older man just wanted a cup of coffee and assumed the young man was capable of providing it. If you want to go further, he probably liked the younger man, and enjoyed his company -- because why else would he engage?
I think it might've happened to me to me a long time ago, but I don't remember if it's true. I think he said it playfully, but probably it was also an actual request. Only time I hear someone asking this is from a homeless guy. A part of me says he was testing me. If I do buy him a coffee, then in the future he'll ask again or for other favors. It's like people who want to use other people, they first test the person to see how much they can get away with. Maybe I'm just pessimistic
I remember my stepdad always paying for everything when we went out. That's another. That supports my theory regarding what kind of man he is. Is it just a innocent question or is there a more nefarious agenda behind it?. What do you think it means?.
When I was in my 20s, I went to dinner with some older relatives who I didn’t know well. They insisted that I pay, so I did.
My grandmother (who wasn’t there) was livid that the relatives did that.
So that shows that the older person pays for the younger (at least within family).
How old was the nephew? Seems he wouldn't have been a teenager because he wouldn't be old enough to drink coffee. At least in my experience, parents of my day would not allow their kids to drink it. So I can surmise he was a young man maybe on his own because he had money in his pocket. I don't think he would be spending his allowance.
Maybe this is how it went.
There is an ironical, friendly-banter, coffee meme that has a very long history.
Uncle: Let's go for coffee. You're buyin. !!
*Both chuckle.
Nephew: (Kidding), "Oh no you don't. I'm not payin'. It's your turn!".
*More jocularity
A little pseudo squabble goes back and forth until one person finally caves.
I asked my 16 y/o son out to an ice cream store the other night. After placing our order, I whipped out my wallet and my son instead said "I got this Dad" and handed the order taker $10 cash.
It was a pleasant surprise and I really appreciated it.
I think it might've happened to me to me a long time ago, but I don't remember if it's true. I think he said it playfully, but probably it was also an actual request. Only time I hear someone asking this is from a homeless guy. A part of me says he was testing me. If I do buy him a coffee, then in the future he'll ask again or for other favors. It's like people who want to use other people, they first test the person to see how much they can get away with. Maybe I'm just pessimistic
I remember my stepdad always paying for everything when we went out. That's another. That supports my theory regarding what kind of man he is. Is it just a innocent question or is there a more nefarious agenda behind it?. What do you think it means?.
Why in the world would something so trivial be on your mind, and why would you ask about it? It's as if there is nothing else to think about so you just develop a question to ask?
There are a lot of threads like this. Random/meaningless inquiries.
I think that people are lonely. Our responses might be a substitute for legit human interaction.
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